The invention disclosed herein relates generally to the handling of various kinds of major vehicle components including motor engines, transmissions and rear end differentials. There is currently a need to provide a way of supporting such equipment for service purposes or inspection. This can be accomplished by rotating the subject component through a small angular increment or up to and beyond as much as 180 degrees while the component is suspended in a substantially horizontal position. The subject may also be suspended in a vertical position for rotation, depending on how easy it may be to load the subject into a support. The horizontal position is better for the work position, since the subject may be at a vertical level that is easier on the mechanics back, and is more adaptable to loading the subject component on to a carriage for mobility. In many instances it is desirable to rotate the vehicle component through a small angle, or some greater angle in order to work on parts that are arranged around its periphery. The ability to completely rotate or spin such components affords an opportunity to work on and inspect the different external and internal areas of the component that need repair, replacement and so forth. The supporting equipment such as a wheeled carriage must also be flexible in providing an ability to move the vehicle components about the work area where the repair and inspection of the component is to take place. To accomplish this, a carriage with wheels is typically used. The supports that attach to the vehicle components for rotating or manipulating them are typically attached by links that are adjustable on the carriage. To date there is a limited assortment of equipment available to handle the vehicle components described above for servicing and inspection The equipment that is available has some deficiencies related to safety of the mechanic or operator who is involved with the work. In addition, the equipment presently available does not afford the ability to incrementally position the vehicle components in different angular positions without causing an unbalanced condition where the component may suddenly move to an undesired position. Another problem with the prior art is that incremental angular adjustments of the components may require loosening of the attachment devices. Therefore, it is objectionable to have to adjust the attachments devices at all since it may cause an unanticipated problem. Any sudden movement of a heavy mass such as a motor vehicle engine could cause an injury to the mechanic who is working with this type of equipment.
The prior art that is available and thought to be utilized in a repair shop for engines, transmissions, differentials and the like is for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,264 to Hawkins et al for WHEELED STAND ASSEMBLY. Another US Patent represents a way to handle vehicle components such as that described above is U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,034 to Vauter et al for WORK PIECE STAND. And, yet another patent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,196 to Hanger for ENGINE STAND.
The carriage for handling vehicle components as described above in the listed references is typically provided with some form of wheels, and the components are typically loaded into the unit with the mass being centered over the frame of the carriage. This typically is a design that will afford one degree of safety in that the heavy component should not tip over when moved with the carriage. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,997 a mechanism is provided to lift the vehicle component when necessary. (In this case an engine). In addition an attachment mechanism is provided to fit to an engine to be lifted to a desired position. The attachment mechanism includes an engagement plate or mounting plate that may be secured to the engine, this part being essentially round in nature, presumably surrounding the area of the engine crankshaft. Another reference is U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,667 to Tassic for MOTORIZED ENGINE STAND.
Due to working conditions in an actual mechanics environment, there is a need for additional safety measures, and an easier method of handling the large mass of motor vehicle engines, transmissions, and differentials and so forth. There are instances where the attachment devices are either not properly secured, or must be adjusted in order to gain access to some portion of the component being worked on. Due to the very heavy nature of such components, it is easy to accidentally miscalculate or inappropriately loosen some portion of the component attachment means from the supporting carriage. This of course could easily result in an injury to the mechanic who is working on the subject matter.
For these reasons, the present invention is now provided to address the need to be able to safely rotate the vehicle component for repair work, inspection or replacement of parts that require same. At the same time, it is another principal of the present invention to be able to rotate the mass of such components in incremental or predetermined amounts that will provide the required access or inspection without disassembling the supporting attachments in any way. The present invention solves the problems of maintaining a connection of the carriage support mechanisms to the vehicle component because there is no disassembly required, and the component may be viewed from an infinite number of perspectives for the required work. The vehicle component is balanced in the assembly of the mechanisms to be described in the accompanying specification by virtue of a universal system of attachment devices that will adapt to a variety of vehicle components as manufactured by different companies.
It is part of the present invention to provide a way of adapting the attachment devices to the vehicle components via a template like system that is pre-determined to be adaptable to many such vehicle components as are manufactured and available in the world. The present invention will teach that it is possible to predetermine the mounting arrangement of for example an engine block with that of a mounting support plate that will secure the engine block to the mounting support mechanism so that the entire resulting mass is balanced as an inertial mass when installed horizontally or substantially horizontally to a support apparatus on a carriage. The end configuration of such engines and the like is very similar in that there are either tapped holes or threaded studs protruding from the machined ends of the engine block. It has been discovered that it is possible to design a universal mounting plate that will match such mounting arrangements on the engine block and the like so that when assembled to another symmetrical mounting plate on a carriage supported spindle or shaft, the result will be that the resulting assembled, mounted mass will be balanced for rotation. The balanced mass is now ready to be incrementally moved, or moved with a constant, slow velocity that affords the mechanic the opportunity to inspect the engine block and such until a desirable position is found for work or further inspection.
One other point the present invention will address is being able to turn certain parts of the vehicle component assemblies when the component assembly is mounted in the support and rotating apparatus. This is especially true of an engine, where the mechanic may have to reach the end plate of the engine crank shaft in order to turn the crank shaft and move the connecting parts that act upon the turning shaft. The present invention provides a way to permit access to the end of the crank shaft of an engine so that the crank shaft may be turned when necessary.
Yet another feature of the present invention is another embodiment where the vehicle component apparatus designed with a way to hold two engines or other vehicle components at once. This is important since in the mechanic""s shop it has been found that it is desirable to be able to transfer parts from one engine to another in the re-building stage. Having the apparatus index able in incremental steps allows the mechanic to make a direct removal of parts in one engine, and to transfer them immediately to the same area in the new engine block.
Yet another feature is in the shape of the vehicle component carriage frame in the area of the vehicle component support structure. An embodiment is shown in the following specification wherein the frame is relieved, thereby providing even better access to the end of the vehicle component such as an engine and associated crankshaft. All of the above will be described in the following specification including the several embodiments that provide the benefits of maneuverability, and safety for vehicle components.
The present invention provides a carriage mounted support and rotatable positioning apparatus for vehicle components such as motor engines, motor transmissions, or rear end differentials. The apparatus is constructed as an xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d shaped vehicle or carriage that is suspended on wheels for mobility. There is a first engagement member mounted for driven rotation with a shaft journaled in the frame of the apparatus. The first engagement member will align with a second engagement member that has a pattern of apertures or attachment devices that match a corresponding pattern of apertures or attachment devices of at least one kind of vehicle component. The combination of the first and second engagement members that attaches to the vehicle component forms a balanced assembly that is inertially balanced for rotation when driven by an attached electromechanical drive apparatus that is part of the carriage apparatus. The resulting balanced vehicle component may be indexed in small angular rotational positions, or rotated to 180 degrees or more depending on need.
The second engagement member is shaped with a cutout portion that enables access to the crankshaft assembly of an attached engine when it is necessary to turn the crankshaft assembly.
Alternate embodiments include a carriage that will suspend a second engine in line with a first engine mounted on one side of the carriage, to enable direct transfer of critical engine components from one engine to the other in predetermined angular positions as powered by the included drive apparatus.